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Production, Location and Change
Advanced Human Geography Options
Cambridge International AS and A Level Geography
For Syllabus 9696
Factors affecting agricultural land use + practices:
-Physical
-Economic
-Political
-Social/Cultural
Physical
E.G. N. America different physical environments, wide variety crops grown + livestock kept.
Tech. + investment extended farming to difficult environment. Irrigation flourished farmers arid
West USA. New varieties wheat also grows in Canada. Certain factors tech. + investment can’t
solve for farming. Relief, climate + soil affects what can be produced.
Temperature critical factor as crops require minimum growing temp. + minimum growing
season.
Major influence temp:
1. Latitude
2. Altitude
3. Distance from sea
Precipitation also important. Steady rain periods throughout year best for crops (infiltrate into
soil + readily available). Short heavy bursts rain terrible for crops (rapid runoff, less water for
crops and soil erosion).
Soil type + fertility impact agricultural productivity. Cotton requires 200 days frost free period
annually + WATER (grown in drier states USA, Calif, Texas) Irrigation allowed to grow in drier
states.
Corn grown in north US. Needs growing season 130 days, 500 ml, 21 degrees.
In Canada Farming restricted. 8% country farmed, 70% north of thermal limit for crop growth
(most farms near border).
Irrigation important for farming. Highest total rainfed areas = N. S. America, E. Asia. Highest
irrigated areas = M. East, N. Africa, S. Asia.
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Irrigation farming = 70% global w. consumption.
Ladder of Agricultural technology = Types of irrigation ranked (Canal is traditional, sprinkler is
modern).
Economic
- Transport
- Markets
- Capital
- Technology
Market for crops + price of machinery affect production. Most countries got fewer but larger
farms, allows economies of scale operate. Larger farms more efficient + distance from market.
Distance from the market and profit decide where Farms are set up. Theory mentions that
further away from market, less chance of big farm as impractical. Economic rent.
Agricultural technology (requires investment) controls growth of harvesting animal + crop and
profit.
Status of countries technology vital for food security + quality of life.
E. G. poorer countries limited to development as smaller farms +:
- Limited tech.
- Lack of infrastructure + investment
- Lack support from markets
Companies such as TECA working to give small poor farms a better chance + reduce poverty,
give opportunities of trade.
Agro-Industrialisation (Industrial Agriculture) (started in EU + spreading MIC+ HIC), type
modern farming referring to product. Livestock, crops. It is large scale capital-intensive
farming. Industrial dependent on oil.
Characteristics:
- Large farms with mechanization
- Low labour, high production
- Fertilisers + pesticides
- Food processing + Big company
- Advanced It systems helps crops grow properly
E.G. Corn + wheat in USA, East Anglia, Russia.
Agriculture globalised for cheaper pay, more efficient + more profit in recent decades.
Larger Farms = Larger processing plants = larger retail shops
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Political
The Gov. became more involved with Agriculture in last 50 years:
- Price support loans, Gov. sets a price for crop tide farmers to help sell crops. If farmers
can’t sell crops keep loan + gives crops to Gov. to sell.
- Production Controls, limit by Gov. of how much surplus crops farmer can grow.
- Income Supplements, Money by Gov to help farmers during bad years.
Govs. Heavily influence what farmers can do. The EU’s Common Agricultural policy
influences farmers in the whole of the EU. (1960)
Social/Cultural
Generation tradition + techniques of farming influence the number of crops produced
annually. E.G. Shifting Cultivation, rainforest farming tradition. Clear an area of forest and
use plot of land until soil sucked dry of nutrients, then start again. This type of farming is
practiced in Brazil with natives.
Land tenure, inheritance laws affect size of farms. E.G. in India many sons inherit 1 bit of
land which causes farms to become smaller every generation. Some countries make women
lose possessions when husband dies. Abandoned land, and not enough land to form farms.
Mainly occurs in LICs.
Agricultural Systems
Individual Farms + general types of farming operate as system. Inputs(labour),
Throughputs(processes), Outputs (Meat). Profit only if profit of output greater Input, processes.
Different types agricultural systems found in individual countries. Most basic distinctions
between them:
-arable, pastoral + mixed farming
-subsistence + commercial farming
-extensive + intensive farming
-non/organic farming
Arable Farms- cultivate crops, no livestock. May concentrate on one crop or many. Could
change due to market.
Pastoral Farms- Keeping Cattle
